I think one of the main characters of The Family Chao sums up the book nicely when he says, "Searching for strange flavors, ethnic exoticism, a little family hostility, immigrant anxiety, served up with a heady dash of self-hatred?" He was talking about the upcoming Christmas party at his family's Chinese restaurant in Wisconsin, but Lan Samantha Chang explores all of those themes in her new novel.
It's no coincidence that the Chao's last name also looks a lot like "chaos". Chaos is what the family tumbles into in the days leading up to Christmas. All three sons are home for the holidays, whether or not they want to be, bound by filial duty, but also trying to figure out who they are separate from their overbearing father and selfish mother. Who are they as Americans, as Chinese, as lovers, as brothers?
It all leads up to the death of the family patriarch and a murder trial that brings family and community secrets to the forefront.
Apparently, this is a modern-day retelling of The Brothers Karamazov. I didn't know that going into this, nor have I ever read the Russian classic, so I can't make comparisons. But what I do know is that The Family Chao stands on its own. If you think your family is dysfunctional, just wait until you meet the Chaos.
The Family Chao is published by W.W. Norton Company and is available to purchase now. I received a free e-ARC in exchange for this review.
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